Spring-hinge.



G. 0. JENNER.

SPRING HINGE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28,1908.

Patented M3118, 1910.

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UNITED s'ra'rns PATENT ormon.

GEORGE C. JENNER, 0F SOUTHBBIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, ,OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF SPRING-HINGE.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. J ENNER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Southbridge, in the county of WVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Hinges, of which. the following is a speclfication.

My invention relates to hinges for connecting two members in such a way that they will have a tendency to remain in either one of two posit-ions, to wit: a closed position and an open position.

The invention is applicable particularly to cases for containing various articles and in the accompanying drawing I have illustrated my invention as applied to a spectacle case.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the spectacle case, showing the same open and Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections on lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively of Fig. 1.

The spectacle case shown in the drawings comprises six parts, to wit: two members A and B which are connected by a hinge, a pin C, a pintle C, a spring D, and a link E connecting the central portion of said spring with the pin.

In detail the construction is as follows: The cover A is provided with a series of spaced lugs A bent into tubular shape to receive the pintle C, said lugs alining with similar tubular lugs B formed on the box B. The pin C is received in tubular lugs A integral with the cover or lid A and arranged out of line with the hinge so as to be at one side thereof as shown best in Figs. 1 and 3. The two lugs A are spaced from each other at their inner ends and on the central portion of the pin C between said lugs is fitted one of the hook-shaped ends of the link E. The other end of the link engages the central portion of the spring D, which central portion is out of line with the hinge, as shown best in Fig. 3. The spring has a tendency to pull the cover toward the box B. WVhen the spectacle case is in its open position as shown in Fig. 3, the line connecting these portions of the pin C and of the spring D which are en- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 23, 1908.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 463,956.

gaged by the link E passes below the hinge and thus the pull of the spring tends to keep the lid or cover A open. If now we close the lid by swinging it in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, there will come a moment when the portions of the spring D and of the pin C indicated in cross section will be in line with the hinge and as soon as the lid A is moved a little farther than this position, the pull of the spring D will be exerted to close the lid A. The spring therefore tends to keep the lid either in its open or in its closed position. In order that the spring may act efficiently, its central portion is given a bend of substantially W shape, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and its ends D are bent forward to pass under the curved front portion B of the box so as to hold the ends of the spring in proper position. By this arrangement of the spring ends relatively to the box, I am enabled to dispense with any particular fastening for the spring, which latter is simply slipped into the box and connected with the hook-shaped end of the link E.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of two members having alining hinge elements, one of said members also having a pair of centrally disposed closely adjacent alining lugs laterally of the hinge, a pin extending through and common to both of said lugs, a link having one end connected to said pin between said lugs, a single spring centrally connected to the other end of said link and frictionally engaged with the other hinged member, and a pintle independent of said spring extending through the hinge elements.

2. The combination of two members pro vided with alining hinge elements, one of said members having a raised holding portion at the edge remote from the hinge, a pintle extending through said hinge elements, a sprin having end portions beneath said raised holding portion and otherwise independent of this member, and a link connecting said spring at its center with the other member at a point out of line with the hinge.

3. The combination of tWo hinged mem- In testimony whereof, I have signed this hers, 2L spring independent of the hinge atspecification in the presence of tWo subscribtaohed by its ends only to one of said meming Witnesses.

bers and from a W-shaped central portion GEORGE C. JENNER. only with the other member, and a link out Vitnesses: of line With the hinge between said W- C. FRED HILL,

shaped portion and the other member. HENRY C. CADY. 

